Archives for February 2015

The traditional sexual harasser appeared face-to-face, uncomfortably close to the victim’s work space, engaging in tacky jokes, suggestive references, or downright disgusting discourse. In today’s world of social media, online learning, virtual workrooms, and text-based communication, sexual harassment continues to thrive in a new and alarming way.

Behind the perceived safety of the smart phone or VPN connection, harassers have found comfort in the apparent anonymity of the digital “connection”, creating a dangerous situation for victims who may also feel protected from their harassers by distance and obscurity.

The health risks associated with smoking are impossible to deny. However, could this costly and dangerous habit also impact an employee’s job security or a candidate’s chances of being hired? Actually, it could, as Ohio remains one of 21 states without a smoker’s protection law, thereby allowing employers to freely and openly discriminate against smokers in both hiring and job retention.

Ohio recently enacted sweeping legislation designed to protect non-smokers from the effects of secondhand smoke, which is proven to be nearly as deadly over time as first-hand exposure to cigarettes. [Read more…]

In August 2014, the Ohio Supreme Court considered a high-profile employment discrimination case involving the City of Dayton Police Department. Under federal and Ohio laws, an employer is not permitted to engage in any discriminatory practices with regard to workplace decisions, and cannot take adverse action against an employee based on the employee’s membership in a protected class.

However, as the court pointed out in Hauser v. Dayton Police Department, not all bosses are subject to the discrimination prohibitions found in Ohio Revised Code 4112. More specifically, the court concluded that certain immunity protections prevented the plaintiff from suing the Dayton Police Department’s supervisor individually, and her case was ultimately dismissed. [Read more…]

FAQs

As soon as you believe you have been denied employment, a promotion, or are the target of harassment due to gender discrimination on the job, consult an attorney before contacting the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Our Book

Have you or someone you know been fired, harassed, discriminated against, or in some other way mistreated by an employer? Are you wondering what to do next? What are your rights? What can your employer do, and what can't it do? More important, what can you do about the situation? You may have already talked with your boss, supervisor, or your HR (human resources) department and maybe you're satisfied with the answers you got. If you're considering hiring a lawyer, click the link below to read Robert A. Klingler Co., L.P.A.'s book How to Choose an Employment Lawyer.